This invention relates to a reusable protective cover for temporarily covering an opening to an electrical outlet box during construction. In conventional construction of commercial and residential structures, electrical outlet boxes are wired and installed within the framework of the structure prior to the installation of interior wall surfaces. Residential outlet boxes are typically installed without a mud ring, while commercial outlet boxes are typically installed with a mud ring mounted to the front of the outlet box. Wall panels, usually wallboard made of gypsum, are installed over the electrical outlet boxes and holes are cut in the panels to expose the boxes. Since the outlet boxes are wired prior to installing the wallboard, the wires are often nicked when a zip drill or router is used to cut through the wallboard and expose the outlet boxes.
After a hole in the wallboard is cut, joint compound is typically applied around the outlet boxes to fill in any gaps around the outlet boxes and remedy any other irregularities in the wallboard. In the process, joint compound often finds it way into the interior of the outlet box, coating the wires and reducing the interior volume of the box. This contamination complicates installation of subsequent electrical components.
In addition, typically the wall surface is painted prior to final installation of the electrical components, resulting in the accumulation of paint on the wires in the outlet box. This paint contamination can make installation of the electrical components more difficult because the colored labeling scheme of the wires is obscured. Now that paint is mainly sprayed onto wall panels, as opposed to rolled, the paint contamination problem has only worsened. As a result, for the foregoing reasons, a need exists for cost-effectively protecting both residential outlet boxes and commercial outlet boxes equipped with mud rings, and the wires contained therein.
Previous attempts have been undertaken to solve these problems, however, these attempts have failed to solve all of the above problems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,991 issued to Gail D. Schuette discloses a Utility Box Insert which comprises a plate with two L-shaped posts extending outward from the plate. The Schuette cover recesses within the interior chamber of an electrical outlet box and the L-shaped posts anchor the cover in position by mating with screw holes on the front of the outlet box. Due to its recessed configuration within the box, the Schuette cover shields the wires but does not prevent joint compound from entering the interior of the outlet box, which may hinder the removal of the cover from inside the box. Moreover, before the Schuette cover can be installed, the wires inside the outlet box may need to be compressed to provide sufficient clearance to recess the protective plate inside the outlet box.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,222 issued to Raymond L. Jordan et al discloses a Temporary Cover for Electrical Outlet Boxes that comprises a thin cover having a continuous, inwardly extending flange completely surrounding the cover to frictionally engage the inner walls of electrical outlet boxes. The front face of the cover mounts flush with the outer rim of the outlet box to block access to the interior chamber. As such, the cover does not have a recess to act as a guide for cutting away wallboard overlaying the outlet box. In addition, the continuous flange surrounding the cover may lack the flexibility needed to fit into different manufacturers' outlet boxes, which often vary slightly in size. Moreover, due to the cover's complex design, fabricating it from a cost effective and durable material such as galvanized steel sheet may not be feasible.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,363 issued to Joseph Sullivan discloses a Temporary Protective Cover for Electrical Outlet Receptacle. The Sullivan cover comprises a thin sheet of stamped metal that has a plurality of claw-shaped catches, having a spring-like character, that extend outward in the plane of a base section and engage the interior walls of an electrical outlet box. When the cover is pressed into the front opening of an electrical box, the cover is held in position by the catches, which clutch the interior walls of the box. The cover's design is not conducive for use with a commercial electrical outlet box equipped with a mud ring.